posted at 11:22 pm on August 10, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

Boston, MA – On Saturday, Mitt Romney will begin his “The Romney Plan For A Stronger Middle Class” bus tour by announcing his choice for Vice Presidential candidate in Norfolk, Virginia. The following events are open to the press. Please note that the tour of the USS Wisconsin and Homemades by Suzanne drop by are pool coverage.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned that the Romney campaign has begun to prepare a vigorous effort in support of Paul Ryan if he is selected as Mitt Romney’s vice presidential pick—something now likely to happen soon. For example, GOP officials tell THE WEEKLY STANDARD that Wisconsin governor Scott Walker is among a group of Republicans who has been asked to be ready, in terms of his schedule and other practical preparations, to make the case publicly for a Romney-Ryan ticket as early as Saturday.

This of course does not mean the Wisconsin congressman will necessarily end up as Romney’s running mate. The Romney campaign may be working to lay the groundwork for one or two other possible picks, though THE WEEKLY STANDARD has been unable to find evidence of any comparable preparation for other candidates. Or the Romney team could be engaging in some last minute misdirection, as other campaigns have done. In 2000, much of the attention in the days before the announcement of Dick Cheney as Bush’s running mate focused on John Danforth, thanks to nudging from inside the campaign. And in 2004, the New York Post splashed on its front page a story indicating that Richard Gephardt would be John Kerry’s running mate. It’s entirely possible that the Romney campaign is engaging in the same kind of shenanigans.

But if the signs pointing toward Ryan, increasing in number, are meant as a feint, it’s an odd one. Ryan is popular among conservatives and Republicans, and the talk about him is generating lots of excitement in conservative and GOP circles. The campaign would presumably be acting to tamp down Ryan speculation if Ryan weren’t going to be the pick, in order to avoid a sense of letdown if he’s passed over. But the campaign is doing no such thing. Rather, it seems to be preparing observers for Ryan.

Yeah, I don’t see this as a feint, although it might have been a multiple-candidate effort. Romney has enough problems with conservatives that using Ryan as a red herring to pick Tim Pawlenty or Bob McDonnell would leave a very sour taste with the Tea Party grassroots. If they’re working with Scott Walker to prepare for the announcement, one has to assume that the running mate will be Ryan — or, long shot, Scott Walker himself.

If it is Paul Ryan, it’s a good choice. Ryan has solid policy credentials, but also has enough media presence and charm to make people listen. Team Obama will hang Ryan’s budget on Romney, but they were going to do that anyway. Why not have the man himself as the VP to explain it? Ryan also gives the ticket solid Washington experience, while giving conservatives more hope that a Romney presidency will aim for serious change.

That would be the biggest plus for the campaign, which has had to fight Obama’s strategy of distraction. Ryan’s efforts play the long game on budgets and entitlement reform; he’s one of the few people in Washington talking about not just the fiscal cliff but the long-term fiscal gap I wrote about this week in the Fiscal Times. Progressives dislike the plan, conservatives fault it for taking too long to balance the budget, but Ryan’s plan is literally the only serious plan on the table to fix that $222 trillion long-term gap. Ryan adds instant gravitas to the campaign, something that Obama and his team have failed to do despite being the incumbent President of the United States.

If indeed it’s Ryan, even the media may have to start focusing on the most serious issues — and that’s bad news for Obama.

Update: A subsequent e-mail from Team Romney puts the announcement time at 8:45 am, so I changed the headline.

Update II: According to Peter Hamby at CNN, Romney spent the evening calling the VP shortlist candidates, thanking them for their efforts, and telling them they didn’t get the pick.

Blowback

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Comments

out of all the candidates Mitt was looking at I think Ryan was the best pick of that select group. I would rather have Walker than Ryan but I don’t think Walker was ever a thought to Mitt. still not excited enough to vote for either.

The MSM Mediscare meme is gonna get old real quick, especially here in “swing state” NC. I expect to see my first commericial about it in a few hours. However, if grandma and grandpa don’t get on board with this ticket, Sebelius’s death panels will make it a moot point.

And pass the popcorn at the Biden debate(s). It’s gonna be gold, Jerry. Gold.

Safe pick for Romney! The majority of conservatives will support the ticket, jury still out on if it’s enough to win this fall. It’s a safe pick because it gives cover to Romney when the backstabbing of conservative begins like, not repealing Obamatax and tax increases.

Just got up to the wonderful news! ONe good thing about this early morning announcement, is that it will make Barry cranky he doesn’t get to sleep in. I like a team of early risers!! Work ethic 101, something we haven’t seen in the WH in a few years!

The liberal loonies are out in full force this morning, and the radical left did not disappoint:

“You had absolutely no concern with the National Debt while W was President. He took the budget over $1 trillion in debt by starting two wars and cutting taxes. And you were silent. No, debt is nothing nothing nothing but a political hammer for the neo-fascist right wing that hates Blacks, Latinos, women, the elderly, the poor, the disabled. our veterans, etc. Where was all the gnashing of teeth during Bush’s excesses? Lyin’ hypocrite”~~Wapo commenter

Paul Ryan did a great job confronting Obama during the healthcare debate. He explains complex economic concepts in very easy to understand terms. He is the best possible pick.
Romney/Ryan 2012 !!!
bitsy on August 11, 2012 at 7:27 AM

I just watched Ryan dismantle ObamaCare and Obama’s “ponzi scheme” in 6 mns. Link from Drudge.

They just said on F&F that one of the reasons Mitt didn’t go with a senator was that he didn’t want to jeopardize the chance to take the senate. If Ryan can convince the lower IQ independents out there what Obamacare will do to this country, then that alone will be worth the gamble. No one can explain the evil of Ocare in layman’s terms like Ryan can.

Im laughing about David-the-butterer-Frum right now: 2 days ago he declared with bombast what a disastrous choice Ryan would be and right after that, they make Ryan the vp nominee. The party really seems to value his insights. I mean, whats left for Frum if even somebody as moderate as Willard doesnt take him seriously any longer?

LOL. Can you imagine how Biden’s team is feeling right now? Watching Ryan school Obama a few years ago was sweet, but the prospect of seeing Ryan take on Biden makes me feel a little sorry for Biden — seems sort of like asking a third-grade special ed student to take the LSAT’s or MCAT’s.

A fine choice, I was a Jindal fan but Ryan is clearly ready. BY the way, imagine the comparison between Biden and Ryan.

rob verdi on August 11, 2012 at 7:28 AM

I like Jindal a lot, but I think he still needs another year or two to put some distance between him and that SOTU response–and that wasn’t even his fault. Deep down, I didn’t want him now because I didn’t want the Dem and media talking points to be about one speech four years ago.

I would have been happey with Rubio, but I think he needs to put more time between him and some nonsense that occurred when he was in state office. Also, his wife is not ready for prime time. She was terrible on a Hannity special several weeks ago. I think she was a Dolphins cheerleader. It shows: nice house but nobody’s home. Again, I point it out because the media will do anything to crucify a GOP candidate.

Christie would give Romney a pitbull, but not much else. Besides, he has a future.

I could live with Portman, but I don’t think he was what we need. Besides, I get to keep a decent GOP senator for a little while longer. They’re rare here in Ohio.

I think Ryan is Obama’s kryptonite. Obama’s going to be left slinging mud at Romney-Ryan. Another thing to consider is that Ryan may be able to help in Ohio and Florida. Ryan graduated from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), which is in Boehner’s district. Ohio has a lot of MU grads, and most of them LOVED their four years there. Here, in SW Ohio, there are a lot of MU grads, and down here, the GOP needs a ton of votes to offset the union areas of the state (Toledo, Cleveland, and Akron). Romney-Ryan should play that up.

Regarding Florida, the west coast is largely Midwest retirees. They may have still liked Rubio, but I think they’ll love Ryan. I suppose that the Orlando area is key, and I think Ryan has a ton of appeal for independent voters.

I heard a lot of Graveyard whistling yesterday and I am hearing more this morning. Wake up! Ryan is a great choice. The best, IMO. But he is not a game changer any more than Palin was. He is about to be tested in a way only Palin can tell you about though.

Now for reality. The MSM will Palinize him and a key part of the GOP punditry will help them do it. The debate with Biden is meaningless. Palin beat Biden. The MSM called it for Good Old Joe. The only campaign here is a PR War that the MSM hasn’t lost very often in the last 40 years. Romney and Ryan are smart. Now they get to show how tough they really are because bold beats smart.

Everything, absolutely everything depends on one simple question: Between Romney and Ryan, what is the total number of working balls? The answer had better be at least five.

I’m very pleased…Ryan was on my short list, along with Jindal and McDonnell…he seems very unflappable, and I just love that he is a young guy…he’s going to bring some energy to the ticket, and be a bold contrast to crazy Joe.

I don’t like Frum and rarely agree with him, but the truth is the truth. Just prior to the 2008 election Frum stated that although he personally had more in common with Obama than McCain, he supported McCain. Perhaps you are confusing Frum with Brooks.

Oh, and Obama better replace Bite Me with Hillary pronto cuz he cannot allow Joe to go into a VP debate against Ryan. I don’t care who they get to moderate that thing. It’s gonna end up looking like that elevator scene in The Shining.

Be prepared. The Rod and ‘dem are gonna get as nasty as they can. They’re not going to be able to attack the message, due their failure of a President, so they will ramp up their attack on the messengers.

The liberal loonies are out in full force this morning, and the radical left did not disappoint:

“You had absolutely no concern with the National Debt while W was President. He took the budget over $1 trillion in debt by starting two wars and cutting taxes. And you were silent. No, debt is nothing nothing nothing but a political hammer for the neo-fascist right wing that hates Blacks, Latinos, women, the elderly, the poor, the disabled. our veterans, etc. Where was all the gnashing of teeth during Bush’s excesses? Lyin’ hypocrite”~~Wapo commenter

I think he forgot my dog and pet turtle.

Rovin on August 11, 2012 at 7:44 AM

When libtards wet themselves with retroactive concern over Bushes lackluster fiscal performance (Fun Fact: Bush didn’t get a 20% approval rating by pissing off just democrats) just say to them: “Solving Bushes deficit by quadrupling it is like solving his foreign policy by invading four more countries.”

Romney and Ryan need to double down on the Economy and hammer it hard all the way to November. Unenmployment still above 8%, another 5 Trillion in debt and gas approaching $4 a gallon again. Obumbles and company will do everything they can to sidetrack these issues. It’s going to get especially nasty from here on out. Romney/Ryan 2012!!!

On Fox they’re wondering if the Ryan selection will “elevate the debate.” LOL. Don’t they get it? The Democrats are incapable of elevating the debate. They’ll find a bigger cliff to push granny off of, and perhaps get bigger spit wads to shoot at Ryan.

Obama is the shallow one, is how I read that. And we all know what happens when something gets under Obama;s skin. To paraphrase CS Lewis, “Fun” is precisely the correct technical term for what it will be. Heh heh heh.

September 1, Miami University opens the season against Ohio State in Columbus. Ryan should be there for the coin toss or, at least, some prominent visit. The RNCC is over by then.

It would be AWESOME.

I also think that Ryan helps with youth voters. He’s an iPod user, and I think he’ll make Obama look passe. More important, and here’s a free ad for the GOP, Ryan’s only 20 years out of college, though he looks 15 years younger. They should have an ad that essentially says to young people that a Romney-Ryan ticket will get you headed in the direction so that you could eventually be in my position in 20 years or you can support an Obama-Biden ticket and look forward to be that character Chris Farley used to portray on SNL–Matt Foley–living in a van down by the river. The contrast is that stark.

Finally, after all these years, Dick Cheney will get some good news press. The media whores will be painting Ryan as 10x more radically rabid, raw-meat-gnawing, rock-ribbed, baby-eating uncompassionate conservative than even the Big Dick Himself.

OK, so I have found at last one reason to vote for Romney. I wish it was Ryan at the top of the ticket, though.

Over the past few weeks (as I have mentioned earlier) I have been roaming all over Virginia (right now I am in the tidewater area) in response to some who have asked when is Romney going to start spending some money I have noted the many Romney TV spots I have noticed. Coincidence? Maybe, but I think this decision was made weeks ago.
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BTW the Nauticus Museum and the USS Wisconsin as a backdrop is just an outstanding choice to make this announcement. The symbolism and appeal to the military make this the perfect photo op. and should also resonate well in nearby NC.

At least it wasn’t an actual RINO squish like Pawlenty, Portman, or Mitchell. I like Ryan but to me he just doesn’t exite like say an Allen West or Scott Walker would. Ryan voted for tarp. We’ll see how this plays out but right now I see RINO squish(Romney) and bland partial conservatism maybe even RINO squish in the making(Ryan).

At least it wasn’t an actual RINO squish like Pawlenty, Portman, or Mitchell. I like Ryan but to me he just doesn’t exite like say an Allen West or Scott Walker would. Ryan voted for tarp. We’ll see how this plays out but right now I see RINO squish(Romney) and bland partial conservatism maybe even RINO squish in the making(Ryan).

bgibbs1000 on August 11, 2012 at 8:31 AM

yeah he votrd for the auto bailout also. And I think he voted for the limit on pay for Aig CEO not sure about that. but he talks a good game. Just not sure which is the true ryan. The one who talks a tough budget or the one who when the political chips are down votes to protect his job.

If Obama is re-elected those who benefit from and/or those who are dependent upon the government will exceed 50% and the Democrats will have their permanent majority. Paul Ryan is the perfect choice and demonstrates Romney is serious about combatting the fiscal problems facing America. He will help Romney win and he will help Romney govern. The Democrats and the media will try to palinize Ryan because they can’t engage in a substantive debate. They have no solutions. But they will fail. Ryan isn’t about to flunk interviews with the media.
As for Palin she has a choice: get behind this ticket or become increasingly irrelevant. And as for bitter Palinistas like you and Promachus there is not a shred of evidence that Romney has ever attacked or authorized an attack upon Palin. And there is no evidence that the GOP establishment told Palin they would undermine her if she ran. Palin removed herself as a potential candidate just after it was alleged that she had had a one night stand with a black basketball player. I doubt that she did, however she was not willing to have her family dragged through the mud over that and who can blame her.

yeah he votrd for the auto bailout also. And I think he voted for the limit on pay for Aig CEO not sure about that. but he talks a good game. Just not sure which is the true ryan. The one who talks a tough budget or the one who when the political chips are down votes to protect his job.

unseen on August 11, 2012 at 8:35 AM

There was no vote on the auto bailout. TARP money was used. But I guess you could stretch it and say he voted for the auto bailout. It wouldn’t be the first time the White House marxists campaign played with the truth. Although I doubt they would use that because of how they handled the bailout.

yeah he votrd for the auto bailout also. And I think he voted for the limit on pay for Aig CEO not sure about that. but he talks a good game. Just not sure which is the true ryan. The one who talks a tough budget or the one who when the political chips are down votes to protect his job.

unseen on August 11, 2012 at 8:35 AM

Even speaking about entitlement reform when seeking national office takes more balls than the vast majority of politicians, and is much more useful to the conservative movement the casting a single vote that does not change effect the ultimate fate of a bill.

In congress, voting in opposition to the wishes your constituents in a futile gesture that will not change the fate of a bill is useless. That’s not how you bring about needed reforms. In a legislative position, you have to get the public on your side before you implement conservative reforms. Otherwise, even if you somehow do get the legislation you want passed, it will be repealed or otherwise rendered ineffective before it does any good.

Ryan’s vocal support for concrete reforms shows he has far more courage than most politicians.

or Palin she has a choice: get behind this ticket or become increasingly irrelevant. And as for bitter Palinistas like you and Promachus there is not a shred of evidence that Romney has ever attacked or authorized an attack upon Palin. And there is no evidence that the GOP establishment told Palin they would undermine her if she ran. Palin removed herself as a potential candidate just after it was alleged that she had had a one night stand with a black basketball player. I doubt that she did, however she was not willing to have her family dragged through the mud over that and who can blame her.

Palin is Ryan’s biggest supporter. There’s no reason to believe she won’t support the ticket. The two people who came out to support his plan early, Palin and Romney.

This is a good choice. Other than Rand Paul, he was the one I was hoping Romney would pick. Once Ryan gets some air time and kicks ol’ Plug’s ass in a debate, some folks will wake up from their utopian stupor. He will school the brain dead indepenedents into realizing that the utopian dream of gov’t providing their needs is unsustainable and will run us off a fiscal cliff.

I wonder when obama is going to push the button on Biden’s impending “MEDICAL EMERGENCY”? Obviously, obama can’t risk allowing Biden to debate Ryan – Biden would get slaughtered. There is only one VP debate, on Oct. 11 (Centre College, Danville, KY) – So, I guess we will so some action soon. Goodbye Joe.

Even speaking about entitlement reform when seeking national office takes more balls than the vast majority of politicians, and is much more useful to the conservative movement the casting a single vote that does not change effect the ultimate fate of a bill.

In congress, voting in opposition to the wishes your constituents in a futile gesture that will not change the fate of a bill is useless. That’s not how you bring about needed reforms. In a legislative position, you have to get the public on your side before you implement conservative reforms. Otherwise, even if you somehow do get the legislation you want passed, it will be repealed or otherwise rendered ineffective before it does any good.

Ryan’s vocal support for concrete reforms shows he has far more courage than most politicians.

RINO in Name Only on August 11, 2012 at 9:04 AM

This is exactly the kind of crap that loses elections for the GOP. RINO squish and vote excuse making won’t work. Elections have consequences and so do votes especially those votes of our elected representatives. Your entire argument sounds like it came out of the mouth of a typical RINO so I fixed your screen name for you.

I’m slightly concerned about the Ryan pick. Yes Obama campaign will mediscare and all of that. But they have to be really careful about going too hard after Ryan too soon. Ryan is young and a bit of a cutie and no one outside of political insiders really know who he is. They can’t really *go in* right away. I also think the Ryan pick is the best chance for Romney to appeal to young voters. He needs to be really aggressive about social security attacks, really expose it as a broken ponzi scheme. Basically assume that the seniors will vote for him regardless because of “culture” and go hard for young voters. Could be a winning stratgy.

es Obama campaign will mediscare and all of that. But they have to be really careful about going too hard after Ryan too soon. Ryan is young and a bit of a cutie and no one outside of political insiders really know who he is. They can’t really *go in* right away.

Because showing him pushing grandma off a cliff was a really great way to softpedal his intro to low info voters,no?

Romney just now. Strengthen social security and medicare for future generations, repeal and replace marxist care. Just wonderful, sounds like a democrat kind of platform, ie socialist, to me. The more things change the more they stay the same. We are truly screwed.

I like Ryan. I really do. But if you conservatives think America is REALLY ready for a grown-up debate on entitlement reform, I fear you will be very sadly mistaken.

Vyce on August 11, 2012 at 9:33 AM

If in the wake of electing an incompetent, unprepared, and unfit hack to the office on the basis of nothing more than his celebrity, and people aren’t yet ready for a grown-up debate, then we are in really big trouble.

Romney just now. Strengthen social security and medicare for future generations, repeal and replace marxist care. Just wonderful, sounds like a democrat kind of platform, ie socialist, to me. The more things change the more they stay the same. We are truly screwed.

bgibbs1000 on August 11, 2012 at 9:30 AM

No, a Democrat would tell us that SS and Medicare is fine the way they are.

This is exactly the kind of crap that loses elections for the GOP. RINO squish and vote excuse making won’t work. Elections have consequences and so do votes especially those votes of our elected representatives. Your entire argument sounds like it came out of the mouth of a typical RINO so I fixed your screen name for you.

bgibbs1000 on August 11, 2012 at 9:17 AM

Wrong. A single vote does nothing unless it is a tie-breaker. Nothing.

You cannot pass a law without the majority of congress. I didn’t make that rule up, nor did any RINO. It is also a fact of human nature that you will never have a congress filled with courageous heroes ready to vote for things that will get them thrown out of office by their constituents. That means it is usually impossible to pass a law without the support, or at least acquiescence, of the majority of the population. As I said before, that makes it vastly more important to build the consensus first.

I have no time for fake conservatives who pretend there is some virtue in playing the hero and/or martyr with impotent gestures that have no effect on the resulting legislation.

I also have very little time for tools who accuse conservatives of being RINOs whenever they disagree with them. It got old a long time ago. Grow up.